Hard To Say It
by Sawyer Eppes
Summary: [OneShot] He came to her with a proposition that she knew she had no other choice but to accept. [JacksonLisa]


Red-Eye © Wes Craven, Dreamworks Productions.

All rights reserved.

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**Hard To Say It**

Songs Inspiring this Piece: _Photograph_ by Nickelback, _Driver's Seat_ and _Listen To Your Heart_ both by DHT

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Nothing was said.

All around them the world was moving on as the rain poured down, soaking their clothes till they clung to their skin. Cars and trucks blasting their horns with their lights on shot down the road, splashing the water into the air onto passing pedestrians. In turn, those who were still on the sidewalks were scurrying about beneath their umbrellas as they ducked inside the closet store to dry themselves.

Her hair plastered to her cheeks, she found herself simply standing there as if entranced by his eyes. Oblivious to those around her, Lisa Reisert could not bring herself to run and disappear into the crowd. Instead, she remained where she was as Jackson drew closer.

Oh, she knew he had been released from custody. In return for dropping the charges against him, Jackson had agreed to testify against his clients. The District Attorney was hesitant at first, but it was finally agreed that they had bigger fish to fry than to worry about the middle man.

However, upon hearing the news from her own lawyer, Lisa knew Jackson better than that. Yes, the man never lied and _had_ given his testimony at the grand jury hearing. This, however, was where the loop-hole came to view.

Reaching out a hand, the fingers brushing through her wet tresses, she stared up at him expectantly. Jackson was silent at first, brushing her wet hair from her face.

"You know why I'm here," he finally said, his voice still a bit raspy from the wound she had inflicted upon him two months again.

"To steal me away," she answered unflinching.

The rain continued to pour as he smiled his trademark smile, meeting her gaze. "I keep my promises, Leese."

"You're a wanted man, you know. Your employer…they'll want you dead."

"I know." A heavy silence fell between them, pulling his hand away from her hair to settle in his coat pocket.

"Why take such a risk? They'll kill you, you know."

"Would that be such a bad thing?"

Clutching her purse to her side, she raised an eyebrow. "You told me you weren't suicidal."

"Of course I'm not," he replied with a shrug. "But, I do know that there comes a time when_ will_ pass on. I'm only human, you know."

"Then tell me this: why stay?"

Reaching out, Jackson snatched her right wrist and pulled her to him, spinning her around so her back was pressed up against his chest. Titling his face down, his lips pressed against her ear, his breath tickled it as he spoke. "Like you said I'm here to steal you, just like I promised." His left arm had her pinned across the waist while his right hand held her right hand back over his shoulder, her palm open and facing the gray sky. "And I'm not leaving until you come with me."

"_Where will you go?_"

Smiling in her hair, he answered, "Away from everything. To a place where they'll never find us: Paris, Gotham…anywhere."

Unable to see her face, he could only wait to hear her reaction to this. In the end, he did not have to wait long.

"You'll run away and hide from everything…and you want me to leave everything behind…"

"Why not?" Lacing his fingers in hers, he pressed their fingers to his lips but did not kiss them. "Tell me…who is that you think of at night?" She didn't answer so he pressed on. "When you're all alone in that dismal apartment of yours or perhaps as you crawl beneath the sheets, clinging to your pillow…that's there in your mind, right beside you?"

Again, she was silent.

"You know they'll come after you too. You're the reason the plan didn't go through perfectly."

"Yes."

"Then there isn't a problem."

Pulling her arm away, she managed to turn around in his hold and stare up at him, the rain trickling down her face and over her frowning lips. "No problem? What about my father! They'll kill him too!"

Cupping her chin roughly, tilting her head up so that their lips were just apart, he said harshly against them, "You worry too damned much, Reisert. If you vanish, they'll have no reason to commit a homicide."

As he looked at her, he wasn't sure if she was crying for if she was, they were mixing with the raindrops streaming down her face.

"Leese, you know I never lie. Even when the Eff-Bee-Aye offered for both you and your father to go into the Witness Protection Act., you knew it wouldn't work. They would find you anyway." Her hands gripped the front of his now nearly see-through button-downed shirt, looking away from his piercing eyes. This was all he needed to confirm his thoughts.

Nothing was said for the minutes that followed. By this time, these two were the only ones on the sidewalk as the weather refused to show any signs of letting up. In fact, in the distance there was a roll of thunder.

"Jackson…"

"Hm?"

"Just…give me a chance to tell them good-bye."

"You can't."

Lifting her face again, tired eyes pleaded to him. "Why can't I?"

"It will only make it harder for you to leave. Believe this, it's better this way; they can't know anything…otherwise my old employers will find out and attack them." He continued as she did something of a mix between a gasp and a hiccup. "As long as your father knows nothing….he'll remain safe."

"Please, I just can't-"

"You can and you will," he ordered his voice hardening at her weakness. "Do you _want_ to gamble with their lives?" At once she shook her head as she bowed her head, the sounds of her crying reaching his ears. He made no move to comfort her. Instead, he lifted her face up, though a little more gently than last time. "I need you to suck it up and believe what I'm saying. I would never lie to you."

"I-I know," she choked back the oncoming sob. "I just wish-"

"If wishes were horses, then beggars would be kings, Leese."

Reaching up, Lisa threaded her fingers through his damp hair, pulling his head down. Just before their lips were touching, she paused. Breathing both heavily and sadly, she said quietly, "Let's go, then."

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-fluffs this piece like a pillow- Just a little note, **Commit Your Crime** is on temporary hold because some chapters are going under some major revisions since it's been reading clumsy and rather painful to read at that. But no worries, they'll be done soon only _after_ my finals this week. Then I'll be on my break for the two weeks after. -grins-

**Asanji**


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